It’s a little over three years since Pete was at The Woodman, so his
visit, in my book, was well overdue. I’ve always liked his way with
words and how he can deliver a no-holds barred protest song one minute
and a tender ballad the next.

Pete brought his new album “The Frappin' and Ramblin’” from which he
treated us to a few tracks including “The Manchester Rambler Frap”
(worked round the chorus from Ewan MacColl) and “The Farmers Boy Frap”.
Both examples of the Folk rap style which may not be everyone’s cup of
tea – though curiously on the night I preferred the latter to the former
yet when I listened to the album on Sunday morning it was the other way
round and I think the fraps sounded better recorded (perhaps the added
instrumentation worked for me?). Either way, I have to give credit to a
man who can squeeze in more words than the House of Commons and bring
folk music bang up to date by rhyming MacColl with LOL (try rhyming it
with Jimmy Miller!)

By contrast, “The Love of You” is a powerful and reflective love song,
typical of Pete’s style, and for me reminiscent at times of his most
well known “Another Train”. Other tracks in the first half were
“Rambling Through Old England” (a history lesson for the oppressed
commoner), “Heart of The Land” (which reflected on the expulsions from
Amin’s Uganda). Songs in the first half not from the new disc were the
beautiful “Bigger than Life”, the quirky “Related to You” and the
numerically updated “SEVEN Billion Eccentrics” plus my favourite “The
Shores of Italy” (thanks for doing the request Pete!).

The second half began with another song from the new album “The
Journeyman”. I really liked this “Mortonish” protest song which I felt
was a metaphor for striking back at the disparity between the haves and
have nots (sadly perennial fodder for songwriters). Pete played us
“Further” and Disobedience” followed by “In The Days When Time Was
Different”. We then had what I think was the best performance of
“Another Train” I’ve heard Pete do. His excellent song of hope and new
beginnings was put over with great emotion and it came across that he
really meant it. Great stuff!
The evening continued with “The Shepherd’s Song”, “Great Gold Sun” and
(almost) finally, we all joined in with the aptly titled “When We Sing
Together” (“that’s the best of all”). As an encore Pete once again
frapped us with “The Ghost of a Sailor”.

All in all a thoroughly varied, well performed and entertaining evening
which I (and I know many others) enjoyed greatly. The album contains
even more great songs.

The eloquent Bryn Phillips, the delightful Velvet Green, plus some
really handsome bloke and three other people calling themselves Nothing
To Prove provided support.